Sera's presence since New York had been sparse at best. Her texts were almost cryptic, but as infrequently as they came, it was hard to decode what she said. The longer she was away, the darker things got. I wasn't accustomed to going days without seeing or hearing from her. She was just as integral a part of my life as Nate. I recognized how macabre my art was with just a couple of days of her absence, and Nate had pointed out-several times-that I was borderline stalking her.
I wasn't following her around, but my attempts to ensure her safety included passing her house, her studio, and the café she loved so much-more than once a day. When I saw her, I'd stop to watch and make sure nothing was amiss. I caught a glimpse of her here and there, but without getting close, I couldn't tell muc
